Destiny's Knot
by Aqua
Summary: Crossover between The Sentinel and Yuu Yuu Hakusho. The introduction gives a description of both shows and the fic!
1. Chapter 1

Tokyo, Japan   
The Ningenkai   
September 29   
  
Night had settled upon the city, the last tendrils of the sun long vanished   
below the horizon as the moon fought to make itself visible through the overcast   
of thick clouds in the sky that refused to part. The city still buzzed with   
life, party-goers, late workers, all of the like crammed into the streets of   
Tokyo as they went about their business. Even late hours such as this could not   
dampen the life of such a luxurious city. Yellow streetlamps lit their way   
through the streets, from building to building as they travelled by vehicle,   
bicycle, and on foot to their destinations.   
  
However, the most action was coming from a more secluded part of the city, very   
far from this nightlife bustle and therefore from as many people as possible. An   
old, abandoned warehouse district was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing   
and loud slaps of shoes against cement as a figure ran past one worn building   
after another as fast as his legs would carry him. His foot slapped into a   
puddle left by the rain a short while before, the bottoms of his pants soaked   
through. None of this mattered to him at this moment, because he knew that any   
moment of hesistation on his part would result in immediate downfall. He didn't   
have time to worry about insignificant puddles and clothing!   
  
A sudden flash of black before his eyes brought him to a stop, and the figure   
nearly fell backward in horror as another person appeared before him. A shadow   
in the night, visible only by the white scarf around his neck and starburst in   
his hair. The moon burst through the clouds just in time to catch the relfection   
of the katana in his hand, held in a possition ready to fight at any moment. The   
blade seemed to signal death, if those cold crimson eyes hadn't sent the message   
already. He had heard about this one, speed unmatched by even his teammates,   
with a cruel heart.   
  
"You've gone far enough," the small figure said in a startlingly deep voice, his   
eyes narrowing even more. There was nothing more than cold hatred in his   
young-looking face.   
  
Terrified, the figure spun around to turn the way he had come, a desperate   
attempt to escape the fate he knew would come. He froze once more when he saw   
another person, his second persuer, walking slowly up to him from behind. Hair   
the color of blood caught the wind for a moment and ruffled around the   
nonchallant face, jewel green eyes fixed on his face. This one was just as cold,   
but held an expression of calmness. The calculating one, who was cunning and   
smart, able to out-maneuver nearly any opponent.   
  
"Our orders were to bring you in dead or alive. You've killed over five human   
girls for no reason other than to please your own perversion. You won't kill   
another," the soft alto stated, sending a chill up his spine with its sureness.   
  
Crying out in fright, the figure ran the only way he could now, toward one of   
the nearby buildings. The door was open for him, although it was probably more   
likely that it had just fallen off years before. It didn't look secure, instead   
looking as though it would collapse at any second, but it was more safe than   
being out here with these two. He relished his life and didn't want to lose it   
so soon.   
  
"Rose whip."   
  
The two words were soft, but the figure didn't get any farther as pain lashed   
through his body when a green, thorned whip wrapped itself around his body with   
an expertise that had been earned over many years of living. Forced to turn, the   
figure saw the red haired figure holding the whip taunt in his hands. He had   
forgotten this fact, his ability to control plantlife and his favorite weapon   
born of a rose.   
  
The two of them didn't need to speak, so intuned with their partnership. With a   
quick nod to the other person, the one dressed in black shot forward, rasing his   
katana over his head with ease that spoke of his own talent. His movements were   
so quick he was hardly more than a black blur in the fighting moonlight. He   
brought the blade down siftly, and the figure could do nothing more than watch   
and scream.   
  
Hiei turned and watched as the body, now cut into two peices, fell to the ground   
with a dull thud. It then burst into black flames, Hiei making sure it was   
completely destroyed before stopping. He then wiped the blood off of his blade   
before sheathing it back below his cloak where it was out of sight. Turning to   
his companion, who had called the whip back and now held a single red rose in   
his hand, Hiei felt the satisfaction of another mission being completed. The two   
of them met glances, not needing to communicate in words as they turned and   
walked away from the pile of ash.   
  
"I'll tell Koenma that the criminal has been delt with," Kurama stated.   
  
~~~***~~~   
  
Reiner University   
Cascade, Washington   
September 29   
  
Liar.   
  
Fraud.   
  
His greatest peice of obfusication yet.   
  
Blair Sandburg squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to accept the fact his eyes were   
starting to water. He was not going to cry! Blair Sandburg never cried, not   
matter what. This was the way things had worked out. He had chosen this fate and   
refused to allow himself the time to wallow in self pity. He had done this for   
Jim and anything was worth protecting his best friend. The choice had been his,   
and he'd made it.   
  
So what if his life as he knew it was coming to an end?   
  
Telling his hands to stop shaking, Blair packed another of his books into the   
box that was already almost filled to the rim. He was almost finished packing up   
his things now, the small office looking barren and emtpy. After the conference,   
in which he had declared his dissertation 'The Sentinel' to be a work of   
fiction, he had barely had time to get off stage before he was ordered to pack   
up his things and get off the University premisis. He could hear people outside   
of his office, even without Sentinal hearing, whispering about him and what he   
had done. One of the biggest scandels to ever hit Reiner University. And Blair   
Sandburg had been the cause. He was a fake, performing one of the biggest crimes   
a University intellectual could ever perform. Anthropology would now be lost to   
him. No one in their right mind would hire him now that it was common knowledge   
that he had lied in order to get his doctorate.   
  
People who didn't even know him gave him scornfull looks as he had walked to his   
office with the boxes under his arms. It seemed like the entire world knew of   
his shame. Those that had been jealous of him before, not understanding how   
someone so young could have gained the status he had held in the educational   
world, now gave smirks as he walked past in the hall. He was the talk of the   
building, of the entire Anthropology department. He had shamed the name of   
Anthropology.   
  
Taking a shuddering breath, Blair forced himself to quit over-reacting   
asfinished piling in the books and looked around. One thing remained upon his   
desk. It was a picture of him and Jim taken at the precinct last Christmas.   
Although Blair was Jewish, he'd had a great time at the party and enjoyed the   
presence of those who now called him a friend. Blair was smiling at the camera   
widely, and Blair recalled that Rafe had been the one to take that particular   
one, commenting on Blair's nicely ribboned red and green hair. They had paid him   
to do it although Blair hadn't told them he would of done it for free. Jim was   
also smiling, looking at the camera with one arm wrapped around Blair's   
shoulders, his hand playing one red ribbon that was longer than the others. He   
actually looked content for once.   
  
Picking the picture up, Blair took another deep breath and forced himself to   
stop getting so emotional over his lost career. He had kept Jim safe. By   
claiming his dissertation as fictional, he had saved his thesis subject, Jim   
Ellison, from being hunted down and used as a lab experiment by the goverment.   
Now no one would suspect the truth of the Sentinel and at least Jim would be   
able to live without having to fear that the government or some other powerful   
organization would pick him up in order to see if words of Blair's dissertation   
were true.   
  
Keeping Jim safe from a life of living in a testtube would be worth all of the   
looks, comments, and the bad record. Blair knew that, if it had become   
necissary, he would give up his life for Jim. He had in many accounts done so   
before. This was nothing new and he refused to have regrets.   
  
There was a soft knock on his door, and Blair cringed. Who was it this time who   
had come to offer their opinion of him in light of what had happened at the   
conference? He really didn't want to deal with anymore people today. He just   
wanted to go back to the loft and work past this intial agony before Jim got   
home and started pestering him like the mother hen he had a tendancy to act   
like.   
  
Opening his office door, Blair blinked at the familiar figure. Jim was staring   
at him, his face expressionless other than a small amount of pain in his eyes.   
He looked at Blair for a few moments before glancing past at the empty office.   
Then he looked back at Blair, who was now having trouble not to cry again as he   
looked at the man he had given it all up for. Jim must have seen the conference   
on television and come right over from the station. Blair wasn't sure how the   
bigger man would take what he had done, but he was releived when he felt Jim's   
arms wrap around his shaking body, holding him close in a hug that was very much   
needed. The two of them had always been close and Blair felt more grateful now   
than he ever had before of this fact.   
  
Moving into the office, Jim closed the door with his foot to give them privacy   
as Blair continued to cry into his shirt. Blair had never been so glad for Jim's   
presence. Lash, the trouble with the drug Golden, even the 'accident' with Alex   
Barnes didn't seem to measure up to what he was feeling now. Jim's arms felt so   
nice and warm, and Blair felt safe as he always had within the arms of his   
Sentinel. It was as though Jim could make all of his troubles go away even if it   
was for a short time. He'd always been there to protect him, to pull him away   
from danger at that last critical moment. With his natural tendancy to be   
protective, and with the help of the enhanced senses which made him a Sentinel,   
Jim had always been the one to chase Blair's nightmares away. Sometimes it felt   
nice to be protected. Blair didn't consider it a damage to his image, or to his   
pride. Besides being something that comes naturally to Jim, it was something   
Blair held close to his heart. And now he had finally returned the favour.   
  
After a while, the young anthropologist pulled away with an embarrased flush on   
his cheeks as he gazed up at Jim. "Man, I hate crying," he stated as he turned   
around, quickly scrubing the tears off of his cheeks. He looked around, then   
cursed when he saw that he'd already packed the Kleenex box.   
  
"Cheif, I don't understand. Why did you do that? This dissertation was your   
entire life, it was something you had worked so hard for," Jim stated, his voice   
sympathetic and filled with pain for his friend.   
  
Blair looked up at him, smiling shakily. His partner had never been very good   
with emotions but here he was, still trying to console Blair for all he was   
worth. "I couldn't let it be published, Jim. You know as well as I do what would   
have happened to you. It could of been the source of distruction for you, as   
well as our friendship. I couldn't betray your trust in me," he stated.   
  
His dissertation, a paper all about this man in front of him, was supposed to be   
published without Jim's name as the test subject. There was suppost to be no   
reference to the man so that his identity would remain a complete secret.   
However, Naomi Sandburg, in her enthusiasm to make sure her son succeeded in   
whatever he set out to do, had sent the dissertation to be published before he   
had made the final editations. Blair wasn't mad at his mother for it, and was   
infact touched that she would be so happy for him. However, once it was sent   
Blair hadn't been able to call it back. And so was forced to declare the entire   
thing a fraud despite having worked on it for three long years. He was   
disappointed, if anything else, in his mother. Yet he knew she had the best   
intentions in her heart.   
  
Jim was silent for a few moments, then he looked around the office once more. He   
seemed to be at a loss of what to do with himself. "Do you want some help?" he   
asked lightly, his own way of offering support since he wasn't the type to   
verbalize it.   
  
Nodding, Blair forced a smile to his lips which they both knew wasn't genuine.   
"Would you? I don't think my car could handle this many boxes," he stated. His   
attempt at humor was weak but Jim smiled anyway. Never mind the fact that it was   
very true; the Volvo was hardly out of the shop these last couple of days.   
  
Working together, they loaded the majority of Blair's things into the back of   
Jim's truck before placeing the last two boxes into Blair's car. They agreed   
they would meet at the loft first thing, but Blair paused before climbing into   
his small vehicle, looking up at Reiner for a few long moments. He felt Jim come   
up beside him and place a hand on his shoulder as an offer of silent comfort.   
After so many years working here, teaching and learning, long hours put in at   
night and his days filled with such a wonderful workload he had almosted   
collapsed under the strain many times. Now it was all gone. Blair Sandburg would   
never earn his doctorate now, would never be able to set foot here again without   
suffering from rude words and critical sarcasm.   
  
Turning, Blair looked up at Jim. He had gotten good at reading his partner's   
facial expressions and knew that he was feeling guilty. It wasn't obvious, but   
it was still notable within his eyes. "Don't worry about it, man," Blair stated   
firmly. "This is what it has come to and that is the way it's just going to be.   
Its too late to have regrets. We just have to get on with our lives."   
  
Jim nodded slowly before, with a final squeeze of Blair's shoulder, moving back   
to his truck and starting it up. When he didn't moe, Blair realized he was   
waiting for him. Quickly getting into the volvo, Blair lead the way back to the   
loft. Trapped with only his thoughts, the young man began to wonder where this   
situated him. Without his dissertation to hide behind, there was no reason for   
him to continue on as Jim's partner at the station. In fact, after this initial   
guilt, Blair wouldn't be surprised if Jim kicked him out. No more diss meant no   
more need for Blair to be so close. Jim had finally gotten used to his senses,   
for the most part, and there were hardly any zone outs now. The simple fact was   
that Blair was no longer needed.   
  
Finally arriving at Prospect, Blair parked in his usual place. The truck parked   
beside him and without a word the two men began to carry the boxes up to the   
loft. It didn't seem to take as long as it had to pack them, Blair noticed.   
Almost too soon they were finished and Blair was sprawled out on the couch with   
a beer in his hand and Jim beside him, drinking his own. Naomi, once she'd   
realized her mistake, had appologized profoundly to her son before vanishing   
again to who-knew-where in order to let him pick up what was bound to be messy   
situation without further interferance. There was no trace of her left in the   
loft and he didn't know weither to be releived for not.   
  
"This is a day I definately do not ever want to repeat," Blair said, finally   
breaking the silence as it became uncomfortable.   
  
Beside him, Jim nodded with a loud sigh. He was silent for a few moments, then   
turned to Blair, his hand on Blair's shoulder again. Jim always had been a   
physical person, and even under these circumstances, Blair wasn't about to   
argue. "Things will work out, Cheif," he said, his tone sounding almost certain.   
  
  
Nodding, Blair smiled softly. "Thanks, man," he replied, then climbed to his   
feet. What he needed was a nice relaxing shower. On the way to the bathroom, the   
answering machine caught his eye. There was a message there, and Blair groaned   
as he thought of one of the many things it could have been. Pressing play, he   
was surprised when Henry Brown's voice filled the room.   
  
"Hey, Hairboy. We all saw the conference here at the Station. Now, we might not   
know exactly what's going on but we do know that you are an honest and wonderful   
person. We just wanted to let you know that whatever shit you might be going   
through right now, the people of Major Crimes are behind you all the way."   
  
It seemed like so long ago when he had gained permission to follow Jim around as   
a police observer, there to study the closed-circut system of the police while   
at the same time privately going along with Jim to keep his senses under   
control. Simon Banks, a good friend of both of them and Jim's boss, had taken   
the information about the Sentinel as well as could be expected and had kept it   
a secret for three years. The only other that knew was the Australian detective,   
Megan O'Conner. Despite all of that, once Blair had worked out his differences   
with the police detectives of Major Crimes, they had accepted him and some had   
even become friends with him. Now if Jim came into the station without Blair   
there was usually a wave of concerned officers at Jim's desk, questioning as to   
where the long haired observer had gone.   
  
He was touched beyond words to hear this message, finally knowing for certain   
that he had been accepted. Turning to Jim, Blair felt a genuine smile come to   
his lips and saw the answering one on his friend. Then he headed for the   
bathroom again.   
  
~~~***~~~ 


	2. Chapter 2

Koenma's Office   
The Reikai   
October 5   
  
The large office was filled with many stacks of papers, some threatening to   
topple over at the slightest nudge but momentarily forgotten as Koenma, Prince   
of the Dead, looked up at the five people in front of him. He chewed on his   
fuukuman for a few moments as his brown eyes took in one person before moving on   
to the other. His four Reikai Tentai stood in their usual manner, each unique   
from each other. Uremashi Yuusuke stood with his arms crossed, waiting   
impatiently for what Koenma was going to tell them. His best enemy, Kuwabara   
Kazuma, was also waiting, though he lacked the obnoxiousness that seemed forever   
present in Yuusuke's face. Kurama stood politely to one side, looking as though   
he had all the time in the world, while Hiei remained a dark shadow next to the   
window acting as though he wasn't paying attention at all.   
  
"I brought you here because we have a big problem," Koenma finally said, looking   
over at the fifth figure. The young looking girl nodded and moved over to the   
computer on the nearby desk. A few moments later, a projection appeared before   
them and she stepped back so that they could all look at it at once.   
  
The man was dressed in a long white shawl and loose white trousers, His hair   
fell in golden locks around his body, with just enough curl to make it perfect.   
With sky blue eyes and perfectly unblemished skin and a great build, he was a   
breathtaking image. However, his face was a mask of ice, expressionless other   
than the dark hate in his eyes and the scornful sneer in his lips.   
  
"This is Ahnaka. An extremely powerful youkai who ruled over a small portion of   
the Makai for a very long time," he stated, his tone solemn. "He was present in   
several of the major wars of the Makai long ago, but never picked a side to any   
of them. For many years he seemed content with what he had, as one of the most   
wealthy demons in that area. He is rumored to reach S-class and has powers that   
branch not only through telepathic means, but it seems he is able to project   
images within his mind or anothers mind into the physical realm."   
  
What had been mild curiousity before was peeked as Koenma uttered S-class, the   
most powerful class of youkai in existance other than those than could easily   
reach the status of Gods if they wished. Enemies of this class were the most   
dangerous, usually the hardest to catch. These cases often ended up messy, to   
say the least.   
  
"So what do you want us to do about it? What has he done?" Yuusuke questioned,   
moving forward to get a better look at the projection. A shiver moved down his   
spine but he ignored it, having dealt with S-class demons before. He refused to   
be afraid of any opponent no matter how high their power ratings were. Hadn't he   
proven a few of those ratings wrong before? After all, as the leader of this   
group, Yuusuke had an impressive track record when it came to dealing with   
powerful youkai.   
  
Koenma moved over to his desk, pulling his toddler form onto the chair before   
turning around to face his Reikai Tentai once again. He opened his mouth to   
reply, but a deep voice interrupted him.   
  
"I've seen him around the Makai, occasionally. He uses his looks to his   
advantage, promising unsuspecting youkai a wild time in bed. Once they enter his   
home, they never come out again and their youki becomes undetectable within a   
day. If people begin to avoid him, he simply moves to another area of the Makai   
and starts again. However, Ahnaka is becoming too well known now within these   
last few years," Hiei put in.   
  
Koenma was surprised that the cold youkai would offer this information, but   
since he was the only one of the group to make frequent trips into the Makai it   
was rather obvious he would be the one to know. However, Kurama also had been   
born in the Makai. "Do you know anything of him? From what I've managed to   
learn, he is several hundred years old. You're youko aspect is over five   
hundred," he questioned the redhead.   
  
Studying the projection, Kurama finally shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I've   
heard his name once or twice while in a town, but I was very nomadic and didn't   
like being around large groups. I had heard the rumors to leave him alone but   
never actually met him," he replied.   
  
"You still havn't told us why you want him arrested," Yuusuke complained loudly   
once his teammate was finished, fixing Koenma with a scowl that didn't match   
with the anticipation in his eyes. Despite his first qualms about this job, he   
enjoyed being a Reikai Tentai. Even if his boss was stuck in the body of a baby   
because of a curse and talked around a fuukuman.   
  
Nodding, Koenma cleared his throat. "He has vanished from the Makai. He was   
under careful serveillance for a while now, but suddenly disappeared. It is   
believed that he has made his way to the Ningenkai."   
  
"What? Why would he go to the Ningenkai?" Kuwabara shreiked, his fists clenching   
in their dramatic way as his large frame shook with anger. It was a common   
reaction for him, when dealing with intruders to his home, and none of the   
others were surprised.   
  
Hiei snickered. "Because humans are stupid. They make good targets," he stated.   
  
Kuwabara turned to him, glaring down at the four-foot youkai. Koenma sighed and   
rolled his eyes as the human's face filled with an angry red color. "Watch what   
you say, you little twirp! Better to be stupid than a pint-sized kid!" he   
declared.   
  
Stiffening, Hiei's snicker turned into a glare. As the Forbidden Child of the   
Koorime, the only male known to exist of their species, Hiei had grown up with   
their trademarked eye color, body size, and temperment. While crimson eyes and   
cruel personality were not worth teasing about, Hiei was sensitive about the   
fact he barely reached four feet in height and was outweighed by even Yuusuke   
despite being over two hundred years old.   
  
"You had better revise that statement, or I shove this down your throat," he   
growled in return, fingering the hilt of his katana.   
  
Koenma looked over at Kurama with an almost pleading look in his eyes. With a   
rueful smile, the red head moved forward and grabbed Hiei's cloak just as the   
small youkai was going to lunge for Kuwabara. Kuwabara, who was just as easy to   
calm down as he was to get mad, just snickered and moved off while Kurama pulled   
Hiei off to the side and slowly calmed him down. Kurama and Hiei had become best   
friends several years ago, and Kurama was one of the only two people alive who   
were able to control Hiei in any way. Because of this, it was his duty to calm   
the youkai down when he was on the verge of killing Kuwabara. Unfortunately,   
because of a very big difference in opinion as to weither or not Hiei's twin   
sister, Yukina, was in love with Kuwabara or not.   
  
Once Hiei had calmed down relatively, Koenma gave Kurama a silent thanks before   
addressing the group once again. "It will be very hard to track this guy down.   
He has effective way of covering both his tracks and his youki. However, I must   
point out that Hiei was actually correct in his argument. Humans are easy   
targets. Although their ki levels are significantly weaker, there are billions   
of them on this planet and none of them would have the ability to fight him back   
if he attacked."   
  
He looked like he wanted to say more, but Kurama took that moment to speak. "The   
other reason could be because of us," he stated.   
  
Koenma nodded. At Yuusuke's loud claims of disbelief, he went on. "You four,   
because of your envolvment as Reikain Tentai and because you won the Ankoku   
Bujutsukai* tournament last year, are all considered extremely powerful beings.   
When you pool your abilities together, you reach past even my expectations in   
power level and are invincable," he stated.   
  
He was referring to the battle with Yakumo, ruler of the Meikai. Thousands of   
years before, there had been four worlds. Ningenkai, Makai, Reikai, and Meikai.   
However, when the Meikai had started a battle with the Reikai to gain possession   
of the Ningenkai, Enma, Koenma's father and King of the Dead, banished Yakumo   
and his realm into space. However, Yakumo came back, more powerful than before,   
and was determined to make the Ningenkai into a new Meikai. Although it had   
nearly killed them all, they had fought hard and had eventually merged their   
spirits into one massive weapon which they used to kill Yakumo once and for all.   
  
  
"It not something I would state as a fact, but it has made you targets these   
last few months Many youkai have been trying to fight you and defeat you to   
prove their own power levels are higher. You have defeated them all, and so earn   
an even more remarkable name for yourselves. It is likely that Ahnaka has come   
here in hopes you will go after him and he will be given the chance to absorb   
your unique ki as well."   
  
Yuusuke looked stuck between being proud and worried. Finally pride won and a   
large smirk appeared on his face as he cocked one fist into the air. "Then we'll   
just have to teach him a lesson when he finally shows his face," he stated in a   
sure tone.   
  
Beside him, Kuwabara struck a similar pose, the same smirk working along his   
face. "I, Kuwabara Kazuma, will not let this jerk harm one more person. He will   
be brought down no matter what!" he declared. Koenma could only marvel at the   
way Kuwabara could manage to look impressive but idiotic at the same time.   
  
Kurama wasn't quite as extravigant. "I have to get home and help 'kaasan make   
supper. It is Sunday tomorrow, so I'll begin to look for him then," he stated,   
then bowed once before leaving the office.   
  
Koenma turned to see if Hiei had any last comments, and blinked once when he   
realized the small figure had already vanished. He quickly chased Yuusuke and   
Kuwabara out of his office next, letting Botan bring them back to the Ningenkai   
on her oar. Then he sat back down behind his office and began to sign the sheets   
that seemed to multiply upon his desk with each passing moment.   
  
"Damned flu," he muttered to himself. Some sort of bug was being passed around   
in South America and humans seemed to be dropping off like ants in an ant trap.   
Although he felt sympathy for the lost lives, he felt more aggrivation for the   
stack of paper it was making for him.   
  
~~~***~~~   
  
The Loft   
Cascade, Washington   
October 5   
  
Jim grimaced slighty as he entered the loft, the scent he had caught on the   
street almost overpowering in here. He could hear Blair in the kitchen, arguing   
with a cupboard for making a pot lid disappear when he needed it. Without a   
word, he dropped his key's into the basket before the door before walking into   
the kitchen and retreaving the lid from in the sink where Blair had probably put   
it just a few minutes earlier.   
  
Since having lost his job at Reiner, Blair had stayed home. He had claimed it   
was so he could have a few minutes to relax and figure out what he was going to   
do with his life now that a large section of it had disappeared. Jim didn't know   
when he had had much time to think about it, because Blair had done nothing but   
cook since then. The long haired man had told him, when he'd asked, that he   
wanted to experiment with different recipies he'd never had time for before.   
Once the freezer had filled up, Blair filled the refridgerator. Once that was   
full, he had even moved on to cookies and (heaven forbid) pie. Most of it was   
some sort of exotic food that Jim had never heard of in his life, but Blair was   
correct when he said that something called Naarubigen could taste good.   
  
However, whatever he was cooking now smelt like nothing Jim had ever smelt   
before and he was forced to turn down his sense of smell as much as possible.   
"Sandburg, whatever the hell you're making had better be worth the stench," he   
growled as he pulled off his shirt. Despite being the beginning of October, it   
had decided to rain the entire day in Cascade. Used to the rain but not having   
expected it that day, Jim had forgotten a coat and so had managed to get his   
shirt soaked right through.   
  
"Oh man! I'm sorry Jim," Blair said quickly, slamming the lid down on the pot.   
"Is the smell too much? I can get rid of it. Its just some sauce. I can make a   
different kind."   
  
Stopping his partner's inevitable tidal wave of words with a raised hand, Jim   
shook his head and threw the shirt into the laundry hamper he had placed beside   
the bathroom door, finally sick of the wet towels Blair seemed to leave on the   
floor. Not that Blair ever remembered to use the hamper anyway. "Knowing you,   
you've been working to make that as perfect as possible. I don't want you to   
throw it out, Chief," he said.   
  
Blair smiled, looking a lot more cheeful than he had for most of the week. He   
brushed a hand through his thick tide of curles, actually loose for once. "If   
you're sure," he said uncertainly.   
  
Nodding, Jim turned his partner around and steered him toward the kitchen. "I'm   
sure. Now get back in there and finish up. I'm going to grab a shower and I want   
to eat soon," he stated with a grin. He flipped Blair the one-finger salute when   
Blair had the gall to stand at attention with a smart:   
  
"Sir, yes Sir!"   
  
Walking into the bathroom, Jim grimaced and threw Blair's towel into the hamper   
from off of the floor. Then he quickly dressed, folding his own clothing before   
placing them into the hamper. He set the water to a temperature suitable for   
him, something warm without him having to worry about it bothering his tactile   
sense. Moving through the movements to wash his closely cut hair, Jim's hearing   
automatically fixated itself on Blair's heartbeat and he grinned when Blair   
began to talk to himself again, muttering about a spice he seemed to of   
misplaced. Jim's nose told him it was on the rack where it usually was, but   
apparently this thought hadn't occured to Blair yet.   
  
Rinsing off his hair and moving to wash his body, Jim wondered when he had   
gotten so used to using his senses. For so long they had seemed like just a   
problem that had to be tolerated with. A perminant fixture that he hated but had   
to deal with, like some kind of ugly scar or mole that couldn't be removed. Yet,   
now, Jim used them easily. If he needed one to be turned down, he just turned   
down the little mental dial Blair had taught him to use. If he needed one to be   
higher, he simply turned the dial up and used Blair as his anchor without second   
thought. Piggybacking one sense on another was like second nature, and he hadn't   
been careless enough to zone out for a long time.   
  
It was all thanks to Blair. Jim shook his head, turning off the water and   
stepping out of the shower. He reached for a towel and quickly dried himself   
off. It was easy to say that for all of his weird foods, strange tendencies,   
loud mouthed chatter on things that made absolutely no sense, and his general   
ability to turn Jim's life upside down, Blair has saved him. He had been close   
to insane because of these senses. They had been out of control. Jim hadn't been   
able to eat or sleep. Even his clothing had hurt his skin. Sights had been too   
bright, his sense of smell had often made him gag when he caught something   
unpleasant. And he had thought himself dilusional when he heard things he never   
should of been able to hear.   
  
Then Blair had shown up. 'Doctor' Blair Sandburg, who had known of Jim's   
problems and had given him a card to the University and instructions to come by   
sometime. He remembered showing up, his rather violent reaction as he's thrown   
Blair against the wall for describing the five extra senses as something Jim had   
called a caveman and Blair had called a Sentinel, watchman and protector.   
Despite it all they had become best friends quickly. Blair was one of the few   
people Jim trusted, and they even lived together in relative peace after the   
gentle goading of the fact Blair's other home was destroyed when a drug lab next   
door blew sky high. The three week period had turned into three years, three   
years in which Jim had watched his desolate life transform into something warm   
and worth living.   
  
Wrapping the towel around his waist, Jim made his way upstairs to his bedroom.   
He wondered how long it would take Blair to realize he wanted to leave. This had   
been an underlining fear in the Sentinel for a long time now. He had come   
dependant on Blair for more than his senses, had become dependant on seeing   
those wide lips spread into smiles, seeing those eyes light up, watching as   
Blair paced or played with his hair or fiddled with his glasses, or did one of   
those other millions of little things that seemed to be part of the entire   
Sandburg package. Blair had grown up nomadic, moving from one place to another   
without any trouble. Once Jim had realized how much he cared for Blair, he had   
begun to fear the inevitability that the young man would finish his dissertation   
and leave. After all, even if it hadn't been successful, there really was no   
reason for Blair to hang around anymore. No school in Cascade would rehire him,   
and Blair loved to teach. It would only make sense that he would move somewhere   
else and try to build a new life. He was young, talented, handsome, brilliant.   
Why would he want to stick around with an aging, bad tempered police officer now   
that he didn't have to?   
  
Pushing the thought aside, Jim pulled on a pair of sweatpants and went back   
downstairs to join his partner in the kitchen. He would enjoy these moments to   
their fullest, so that should Blair ever leave he would be able to look upon   
them in his memory. Times like these were his favorite. Just him and Blair, able   
to enjoy each other's company without interruption from anyone else. Too often   
one or both of their lives were in danger, but it was nice to be able to   
occasionally push all of it to the side and just focus on Blair.   
  
"Its all ready! You're going to love this, Jim," Blair stated, then launched   
into an astonishinly, to anyone who didn't know Blair as well as Jim did,   
detailed explination as to where this particular recipie had come from, when   
this type of meal was eaten, and almost all the facts of the type of people that   
ate the food. Apparently it was a ceremonial dish from Africa eaten between the   
best of friends at times when friendship was in crisis. Weither Blair was trying   
to make a point about something or not, Jim didn't know, but the food was   
delicious.   
  
Afterward, Blair made him name every ingrediant of the scentful sause. He only   
missed one of them. Satisfied, Blair let him watch television without complaint,   
plopping his own body down next to the larger man. Which, of course, lead to a   
fight between sports and the nature channel.   
  
The fight, which had become quiet physical in regards of the poor remote   
control, was interrupted by a knock on the door. Jim grumbled, a little testy   
over having not heard someone approaching, while Blair teased him about old age   
making him dull. Pulling open the door, Jim smiled when he saw the familiar   
black man with a cigar, unlit, hanging out of his mouth.   
  
"Simon, come on in," he said.   
  
Taking off his soggy coat, Simon placed it on the rack before sitting himself on   
a chair, Jim moving back to the couch. "Sorry to stop by so late. Especially   
unannounced," he said, motioning over the clock that stated it was nearing   
eleven at night.   
  
"Don't worry about it, Simon. You know we're used to later hours than this,"   
Blair stated with a grin. The two of them, especially when working the feild,   
would sometimes not get home until the sun was already reappearing in the East.   
  
With an answering smile, Simon studied Blair closely before nodding, seeming   
satisfied with something. "I've come here with a proposition for the both of   
you. I figured that it was important enough to discuss with both of you, and I   
want to have both of your honest opinions on the matter," he stated, suddenly   
serious.   
  
Blair leaned forward, intrigued. Jim was interested as well, but less obvious   
about it. The two of them waited pateintly for Simon to go on.   
  
"Because his dissertation has been completed, I'm afraid I couldn't hold Blair's   
observer status in Major Crimes any longer," the Captain went on. Blair seemed   
to deflate a little and Jim felt a stab. However, Simon was their friend and   
wouldn't of come over here just to give information like this. He wasn't   
disappointed as Simon went on. "I talked will all of the higher ups on Blair's   
unique situation. Technically, his problems with the University do not branch   
into ours. He has been working for three years in Major Crimes and as your   
partner, Jim, without pay and doing a good job of it. You two hold one of the   
best records in the United States. So, Blair, if you agree, you will be   
permitted to become Jim's perminant parnter at the station, with pay and the   
title and everything. All that is required is that you go to a one week seminare   
starting next Monday, and pass the test that comes at the end."   
  
Blair let out his breath in a loud woosh, and Jim heard his heat beat speed up.   
He wasn't certain if it was because of excitement or not, and waiting anxiously   
for Blair to give a verbal reply.   
  
"Wow. That is, like, so cool."   
  
Blair always was good with words. Jim couldn't help laughter that filtered up,   
and was glad when the other two men joined in with him. The sudden change in   
Blair was visible, the light coming back into his eyes and his face filled with   
enthusiasm and happiness that hadn't been there before. It seemed as though a   
great weight has been lifted off his shoulders.   
  
Sparkling blue eyes turned to Jim, looking hopeful. "What do you think, Jim? Can   
you put up with me for a while longer as your partner?" he questioned.   
  
Teasing, and not teasing at the same time, Jim winked at his partner. "I'm   
pretty sure I can survive it," he stated.   
  
"I never thought I would see the day when Ellison willingly admitted he didn't   
mind living in the Sandburg Zone," Simon commented with a roll of his eyes. He   
then got to his feet, holding his hand out for Blair to shake. "Well, that's   
that then. Starting Monday, come to the presinct ready to take that seminare. I   
don't want to delay you from becoming a cop any longer than possible. Jim a bear   
without you there to tame him."   
  
"I'm not that bad!" Jim declared, knowing full well he was bad tempered at any   
time Blair wasn't there to keep him in a good mood. Especially these last few   
days, though this had definately been worth the wait.   
  
After a few more teasings, Simon left. Blair seemed to be in shock still but the   
smile on his face was priceless. He looked up at Jim, then suddenly seemed to   
faulter. Concerned, the larger man moved to his side. "What is it, Chief?" he   
questioned.   
  
"I was just thinking," Blair started slowly, trailing off for a moment. He stood   
up and started to pace nervously, unable to meet Jim's eyes. Finally he came to   
terms with whatever was going through his mind and turned to his partner. "Now   
that your senses are under control and everything, you don't need me around   
perminantly. You'd probably be glad to have me out of the loft too, considering   
how much time we'll be spending on the feild together. You're probably sick of   
me being in your space after three years."   
  
At first, Jim was hurt. Then he noticed the mad flutter of Blair's heartbeat,   
the way he was fidgeting. Still uncertain exactly what his Guide was getting at,   
Jim stayed where he was on the couch. "I've kinda gotten used to having you   
around. And it would probably be hard to find a nice place this time of year,"   
he commented.   
  
Suddenly finding himself filled with an armload of Blair, Jim blinked widely   
then hugged the younger man back just as feircely. "Thank you so much, man. I   
was scared you were going to boot me on my ass the second you were able to,"   
Blair breathed.   
  
Not needing to voice his own fear, Jim just shook his head and savoured the   
moment that he could hold the other figure close to his own.   
  
~~~***~~~ 


End file.
